At Circuit Pointe, we believe that solving issues affecting women and girls are achieved and sustained when women themselves become catalysts for change. To achieve this, we engage in series of diverse but interdependent projects ranging from empowerment initiatives, awareness campaigns and hands-on projects that produce positive ripple effect community-wide, build powerful longstanding alliances with key stakeholders and supercharge women/girls to become catalysts for change.
This project is an expansion of our current work in Imo and Ebonyi States. supports an investment strategy of building capacities of multiple actors across sectors within the communities such as Traditional Rulers, cabinet members, community leaders, religious leaders, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Health workers & Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). The overall objective is to contribute to infantile FGM/C type IV abandonment in Imo & Ebonyi States by empowering existing community structures in 15 communities to accelerate social norm change from within & integrate local monitoring network so the prevalence of the practice is significantly reduced within the 2-year timeframe.
We are excited to announce that Circuit Pointe is one of the winners of Positive Action and AmplifyChange #EndFGM Challenge. The prize will be used to implement our project "Break the cycle: StopFGM" which involves taking a five-pronged approach to tackling infantile FGM/C in 6 communities in Imo State.
Ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is a cause that we, at Circuit Pointe, feel very strongly about. Sponsored by AmplifyChange Fund, we are on a campaign to end infantile FGM in 10 communities in Imo and Ebonyi States of Nigeria. Through advocacy, awareness creation on the dangers and implications of FGM, building alliance with non-traditional FGM allies and empowering endFGM champions, we are breaking the cycle and bringing about changes in knowledge and attitude to the practice of FGM.
Supported by AmplifyChange, Circuit Pointe has launched a 1st-of-its-kind campaign. This initiative is amplifying community-based intervention efforts by strengthening existing community communication channel and building the capacity of 60 Town Criers from Mbaitoli, Ehime Mbano, Ikeduru, Ideato North, Ngor Okpala and Ihitte UbomaLocal Government Areas (LGAs) in Imo State for abandonment of all forms of FGM/C practice.
Our fight against the practice of FGM/C began in 2015. Following successful projects and despite progress made, our campaigns open our eyes to the pressing need to amplify our efforts and Community representatives request our intervention in the neighboring communities. With support from AmplifyChange, Circuit Pointe is doubling down our efforts to stop infantile FGM/C, focusing on 8 identified communities in Ngor Okpala and Ikeduru. We aim to bring the stories of FGM victims to the global platform, while continuing with the proven methods of our previous campaigns.
Supported by U.S Consulate General, Lagos, our pilot program, #Raise100FemaleTechpreneurs in Nigeria kicked off in September with 100 unemployed women from low-income background on-board. Focusing on web application development from a localized perspective, these participants are gaining necessary programming and entrepreneurial skills to bring their viable products/services to the market. In addition, we are extending support to the participants beyond the program period through established networking and collaboration platform.
Tip #1 on what you can do to accelerate an end to FGM.
Tip #2 on what you can do to accelerate an end to FGM.
Tip #3 on what you can do to accelerate an end to FGM.
With Award received from Anita Borg, Chioma Ike and the team encouraged 155 secondary schools girls from 6 secondary schools to develop an early interest in STEM through hands-on learning, eliminated the misconceptions about computing and created positive images of STEM-related careers
Using Merit grant received from SeedMoney, we replicated our project in Obodo Ahiara, another community battling the challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition. So far, we have developed kitchen-garden culture in 2 communities, increased number of women who received support to start their backyard farms to 227, supported diversification of diets in 23 homes through healthy food choices for 75 children and put strategies for scale-up.
Thanks to The Pollination Project, we initiated an innovative response to malnutrition and food insecurity in Obibii Nguru community as 107 women were excited to gain knowledge on a type of farming that allowed them turn their kitchen waste into organic manure and utilize a portion of their backyard to grow variety of nutritious crops and fruits thus ensure availability of nutrient-rich food all year while 20 of the women were empowered to set-up their own backyard farms.
It's 2018 International Women's Day and we celebrated this promising day with Yoga! During the class, Circuit Pointe team shared the achievements of ordinary women who are playing extraordinary roles in Nigeria. We figured if women see other women in leadership or Taking Action, they will always have the courage to try. We reached 15 women who took on Yoga to appreciate themselves, build their inner strength and confidence.
Support by OneWorld Foundation, we established robust digital libraries in 2 rural primary schools in Dikenaofeiyi Community of Imo State aimed at increasing access to digital literacy and education for 511 pupils in 2 Schools and empowering these pupils wth qualitative, enriched and craetive education as well actively support 21 teachers in new areas of education.
We participated in Age of Wonderland's 100 Days of Learning, a global event that leveraged on building network from 100 different locations around the globe. Our Day of Learning built community mind-set among 12 people across 4 generations who learnt how to use memory quilt-making to build multi-level relationship and social inclusion to re-engage members of their families who live and study in socially isolated pockets.
Sponsored by AmplifyChange, we supported 4 communities in Ngor Okpala, Imo State to end the practice of FGM/C. Through advocacy, awareness was raised on dangers and implications of FGM with 5,442 villagers reached. Also, alliance was built with 94 non-traditional allies; 20 endFGM champions empowered & 10 female babies born within the project period were not victims of the practice.
